Context
Forest loss and fragmentation pose extreme threats to biodiversity. Their efficient characterization from remotely sensed data therefore has strong practical implications. Data are often ...separately analyzed for spatial fragmentation and disorder, but no existing metric simultaneously quantifies both the shape and arrangement of fragments.
Objectives
We present a fractal fragmentation and disorder index (FFDI), which advances a previously developed fractal index by merging it with the Rényi information dimension. The FFDI is designed to work across spatial scales, and to efficiently report both the fragmentation of images and their spatial disorder.
Methods
We validate the FFDI with 12,600 synthetic hierarchically structured random map (HRM) multiscale images, as well as several other categories of fractal and non-fractal test images (4880 images). We then apply the FFDI to satellite imagery of forest cover for 10 distinct regions of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains from 2000–2021.
Results
The FFDI outperformed its two individual components (fractal fragmentation index and Rényi information dimension) in resolving spatial patterns of disorder and fragmentation when tested on HRM classes and other image types. The FFDI thus offers a clear advantage when compared to the individual use of fractal fragmentation index and the Information Dimension, and provided good classification performance in an application to real data.
Conclusions
This work improves on previous characterizations of landscape patterns. With the FFDI, scientists will be able to better monitor and understand forest fragmentation from satellite imagery. The FFDI may also find wider applicability in biology wherever image analysis is used.
Urban historical parks represent important cultural touristic objectives that are part of a city’s own identity. However, currently, the image of these areas in the eyes of contemporary citizens does ...not always meet their needs and expectations. The purpose of this study is to reveal and evaluate the citizens’ perception level of a multi-objective historical park located in Bucharest, Romania—the Carol I Park. Using software methodology, we managed to determine, online and offline, the degree of public knowledge and interest for this specific urban area and, subsequently, the probability of civic interaction with it. For this, an algorithm was created by deconstructing user searches consisting of factual terms and their semantic derivatives. The search phrases were then run on the GetKeywords and Google Ads platforms, two professional software products mainly used in online advertising, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), research and audience analysis. Various numerical data were obtained, reflecting the structure of Romanian searches performed by users of the Google search engine, which were taxonomically ranked, graphically modeled, then construed and discussed. Therefore, the obtained analysis results can become an indicative tool for the direction to follow in establishing a sustainable managerial strategy that can lead to a viable exploitation and capitalization strategy of that area.
Treating complex abdominal wall defects is challenging for the reconstructive surgeon as there are many possible complications and high reccurence rates. To date, there is no consensus on a ...definition of complex abdominal wall defects, as the level of complexity can be different from case to case. Thorough knowledge of the etiology of defects and relevant anatomy, adequate management during hospitalization and in postoperative period are key elements in obtaining optimal functional results. Although the etiology of abdominal wall defects is varied, reconstructive goals are well established, including recovery of structural integrity to ensure visceral coverage and maintenance of intraabdominal pressure, prevention of hernia formation, if possible with an aesthetic pleasant result; long hospitalizations increasing morbidity and costs should be avoided. Choosing the right therapeutic strategy may be very demanding, because there is no standard treating protocol to guide the management of these patients.. We present, through five clinical cases, our experience with managing abdominal wall defects having in mind the general reconstructive priciples and trying to individualize the treatment for each of them.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, online sales have increased in recent years for many products. Responsible consumption has also been considered by households and individuals, and interest in ...sustainable products has positively evolved. Although sustainable products have more and more been considered by consumers and producers as appropriate alternatives, the results are still underwhelming. This study aims to demonstrate the relationship between the online sales of sustainable products and the online marketing costs expressed by the cost-per-click in Romania in the last three years. This quantitative research is a conclusive and descriptive study based on secondary data sets collected from the evidence registered in an online agency, which, in turn, was based on a sample of companies and products in three industries considered highly open to sustainable approaches: electronics; home and garden; clothing and footwear. The results show different relationships between the online marketing cost and the sales of sustainable products in the above-mentioned industries. In addition, online consumer purchasing intention is a mediator for the relationship between marketing cost and online sales in one industry only, namely electronics. The study reveals the development of the online transactions of sustainable products, considering the connection between marketing costs and subsequent sales.
Migration is an old phenomenon in the history of humankind. However, the magnitude, complexity, and structure of migration flows in the global era are all unprecedented. According to the United ...Nations Report “Trends in International Migrant Stock: the 2015 Revision” at world level 244 million international migrants were recorded in 2015. With the increase in the number of migrants, the emigration of ‘high-skilled’ individuals is also growing. OECD and United Nation Statistics show that in the last decade the number of migrants with tertiary education increased by about 70%. Brain drain is also a well-known phenomenon. Highly educated individuals and scientists have travelled the world in all centuries in search of better study and research, and working conditions, and of new opportunities. Nowadays, in the era of globalisation and, implicitly, of swifter development of international markets, the emigration rate of high-skilled experts exceeds the total emigration rate, which shows the selectiveness of migration at educational level. The paper presents a brief analysis of the interdependencies between migration and globalisation and of the effects of globalisation on the migration of high-skilled individuals. The trends, structure, and volume of high-skilled labour force from Romania are analysed along with the effects generated by them.
The lack of sustainable development strategies of the tourist resorts from Romania caused the structural dynamics of their economy to record large fluctuations under the impact of determinants with ...unpredictable developments. The spectacular dynamics have led to developments difficult to predict, in many situations that generate environmental conflicts, where the economic pressure has exceeded the support capacity of the natural environment. In this study, we aim to analyze the dynamic relationship between tourism and the other components of the economy, from each resort from Romania. The significant growth of tourism in recent years requires new approaches, relevant for understanding the role of tourism in increasing the complexity of the local economy. Measuring the role of tourism in the development of local economy was achieved by building an economic database for all tourist resorts from Romania (according to Government Decision No. 107 of 2018), at the four-digit NACE code level (Classification of National Economy Activities), for the economic indicators considered relevant: number of companies, number of employees, and turnover and profit, for the period 2000–2016, as well as at territorial administrative unit level. Detailed analyses revealed very different structural dynamics, the spectacular dynamics, lacking a coherent strategic framework, led in all situations to the emergence of environmental conflicts. Tourist resorts in which tourism has become an essential component of economic development have based their development on capitalization of local resources, which led to multiplication effects, materialized in a spectacular evolution of the local economy, and an increasing pressure on the natural environment.
In These days when everything is stored online on a server a real disaster recovery plan
should be a must for every network administrator. From my experience I would say that the first
step is to ...prevent and than to make a detailed backup plan and a restore one too. Custom cron
scripts can make automated scheduled various commands just tools for trustworthy systems.
In the context where 4 universities have been discovered to enroll students on fake faculties or fake form of
faculties and moreover to print diplomas for them, a change is needed. This change is to ...be made by a
national database of unique numbers for every student (license studies, master studies or doctoral studies).
The general idea is to have a strong unique informatic system where all the data to be collected from all
universities.
In the Internet era, where everything is online, students are asking for more online information like taxes and
payments, courses, tests, grades, news etc. that should be accessible from any device ...that you can imagine.
Furthermore, they ask for online communities where they can debate any subject and can met any person
they want. With the help of today technologies we can say that everything is possible. This should be the
tomorrow universities where students should remain student and teachers should keep their high quality
standards even we go further with WEB 2.0 and WEB 3.0.
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